R4MH is a committee of members from 5 Rotary Clubs on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. These clubs, Rotary club of Noosa, Noosa Heads, Noosa Daybreak, Cooroy and Eumundi combined their forces to bring the message of Mental Health to the communities where we live.

As Rotarians, we know we are not experts in this field but we can help maintain awareness of this subject and point those affected in the right direction where they can get help

One in six adults experiences at least one diagnosable mental health problem in their lifetime. This is influenced by the environment in which we are born, grow, live and work, meaning many of these problems can be prevented.

Having good mental health is important because it can help us to be more resilient, feel good and function well, have more positive relationships with those around us and deal with difficult times now and in the future.

Although the original focus was on breaking the silence of PTSD in non military members of our communities, our focus quickly morphed into some of the root causes of PTSD. Namely, Suicide and more recently the whole issue of Domestic and Family Violence.
The closer we look the more we learn. Police departments all over the country report that by far the vast majority of their time is spent in dealing with Domestic Violence. Disfunctional families foster school Bullying, and many other anti-social behaviours.

Whether these behaviours are caused by PTSD (Now called PTS) or whether PTS is a result of the anti-social behaviour and disfunction in families is yet to be clarified. We do know that these mental conditions feed off each other.

In keeping with International Rotary President, R. Gordon R. McInally’s focus on Mental Health in 24-25. Our District, 9620 has also embraced Mental Health as it’s Cause Célèbres’ for this same period and beyond.

R4MH has the support of the 5 clubs to do whatever is possible to bring attention to these issues this year and beyond. The size of this undertaking has been likened to the change in attitude of Smoking (30+ years). It took Rotary many decades to beat Polio.
Mental Health will be a project of similar duration.

So What are we Doing?

Inspired by the Rotary Club of Ballina on Richmond we have started by exhorting our members to wear a special ‘Say No to Domestic and Family Violence’ T shirt EVERY FRIDAY. It doesn’t matter what you are doing, just wear the shirt EVERY Friday. Visit local businesses to promote the idea of their staff wearing these shirts every Friday. Shirts available to purchase Purchase Purple DV Shirts

To draw attention to Mental Health, R4MH through our clubs sponsored a Classic Car Club Convoy through Noosaville, Tewantin, Cooroy and Eumundi towns in late November, 2023, led by Queensland Police with ‘Say No” flags flying. Noosa Council were so supportive they gave their staff time off from their desks to gather on the footpath to cheer us on. A great time was had by all. Brochures were distributed and many heads turned followed by questions.

R4MH hosted an information event in Cooroy: - ADDRESSING LOCAL DOMESTIC AND FAMILY VIOLENCE

Keynote speaker, Ryan Hanlon, Senior Sergeant Noosa Police and Officer in Charge at Eumundi, Senior Sergeant Brian McKenzie Acting OIC Cooroy, and Sergeant Maria O’Brien from the specialist DV unit in Maroochydore outlined the scale of our local problem, the tools Police and community members may use to assist addressing this serious issue across our part of the Sunshine Coast.
Up to 1 in 4 women have experience of family violence and the urgent need to apply prevention activities as there is a period of heightened risk after the first instance of victimisation. Prevention activities focus on people already victimised who have a higher likelihood of being re-victimised.
Organised by R4MH (Rotarians for Mental Health – 5 Local Rotary Clubs Cooroy, Eumundi, Noosa, Noosa Daybreak and Noosa Heads) encouraging people touched by mental health issues to reach out, speak up and seek assistance.

We can only make a difference if we work as a team to alert the many who need to be alerted to this community problem all around us. Mental Health, a lifetime’s work

R4MH DON'T BOTTLE IT UP

Hayden Trask from Noosa Pirates said it was an honour to be a part of the Rotary initiative, he said: - “Mental health and PTSD has touched so many people in today’s society and has touched me personally, as well as those close to me.”

Will Christie of the Dolphins said: - “Playing at the Dolphins provides excellent opportunities for further progress on the field, but also off the field in regards to our player welfare program, which looks after our players in so many ways.”

Corey Dodson of Lions said, “One of the things that soccer has given me is the friendship you get from mates on the pitch. My mates at the Lions have helped me so much when an issue that impacted my life happened.”

Noosa Tigers captain Aaron Laskey said, “It makes me proud to be a member of the Tigers footy team, and the plans from our club to build the mental health hub that will help everybody in the community. Our footy club is to be commended for doing this.”

Organisations that may offer support

DON'T BOTTLE IT UP is a combined project of the Noosa, Noosa Heads, Noosa Daybreak, Eumundi and Cooroy Rotary Clubs driven initiative, Rotarians 4 Mental Health, is aimed at encouraging people touched by mental health issues to reach out, speak up and seek assistance.